The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-10-29
IN The JAMES BOYS FOOTSTEPS.
Exploits Of Ike Laws a Daredevil
Member of the Franklin Gang.


OI InOTtnWeStcTnM MISSOURI ana SOUTH
ern Iowa have suffered greatly from
the depredations Of gang of horse
thieves under the leadership Of the
Franklin brothers-Con
and Buck-whose reputation bids
fair to excel that of the James boys.
Nearly three hundred animals have
been taken inside a very short time
by this party, Of which probably
twenty were recovered. In the en-
tire gang perhaps no member can
boast Of more hair-bredth escapes
and romantic adventures than Isaac
N. Laws, who occupies a very i'm
portant position with the crowd-a
sort Of lieutenant, as it were. Laws
was born in Chester county, Pa,
and came to Missouri when only
twelve years of age with his parents.
who settled in Neosho. The first
event in his career which brought
him into prominence was the steal
ing of a pair Of horses in Newton
county. which he drove into Ar
kansas and disposed of. Upon
his return he was apprehended and
incarcerated in Jail. Sheriff Knott,
his jailer, had an only daughter,
Clara, who usually served the pris-
oner's meals. An attachment was
formed between her and Laws,
which resulted i'm her liberating and
fleeing with him into Mississippi,
where they were married. They
lived in Vicksburg for one year and
then came back to Neosho. They
had only spent a couple of weeks
in this place when Laws became
involved in a difficulty with his
father, which eliminated in his
shooting the old man in the back
with double barreled shotgun,
from the effects of which he died
in few days. Through some legal
technicality Laws escaped the gal
lows, and was sentenced ten years
in the penitentiary. By reason of
extraordinary good behavior he was
released at the expiration of his
sixth year, Waller Young, state
senator from the st Joseph dis
trict, being instrumental in OBJ
tanning his discharge. He returned
to Neosho, but remained there but
a short time, afterwards going to
Iowa. where he became n member
of the Franklin gang. During the
next two years he was actively en-
gagged in stealing horses. and at
one time narrowly escaped lynch
ing at the hands OF a vigilance com
mittee in Holt county, Mo, being
released by the intervention of a
local member Of the gang. whose
Identification with them was not
known at the time, and who said
that he was not the man they were
looking for. He then came to ST.
Joseph and obtained employment
as a scene shifter at Tootle's opera
house, but the situation becoming
irksome he forsook it. While at
Tootle's he formed the acquaint-
ance of a married woman named
Gibson, who was possessed of con-
siderable means, who became so
infatuated with him that she drove
her husband from the house in
order to make room for Laws. Glib
son obtained a divorce and then
the woman proposed that Laws
marry her, which he refused. Be
lieving that she would eventually
capture him, the Gibson woman still
continued to provide him with a
home. until one night he decamped,
taking team of horses and what
loose valuables the woman pos
sessed. He drove the team into
Webster county, where he ran short
of funds, and, to replcnish his purse,
robbed a smoke-house of quantity
of meat, which he disposed of at
Seymour. He was captured after a
desperate struggle, in which he
wounded two deputy sheriffs, and
was logged in Jail. After being there
but a week he effected his escape
and came to St. Joseph in company
with pair Of his comrades named
Varble and Haines. Shortly after
his return he married a widow
named Bloxam. The sheriff of Web
ster county learned of his where
abouts about three weeks ago
through the Gibson woman, and
sent a warrant for his arrest. Shetifl
Andriana and a party of deputies
surrounded the building in which
he was living and demanded his
surrender. lie at first showed a
disposition to resist, but afterwards
made an effort to escape, but was
shot through the body by one OF
the deputies and captured. 1t was
believed at the time that he was
mortally wounded, and he was
taken to the city hospital. Con
trary to expectations he bade fail
to recover, and a few nights ago
was taken away by other members
of the gang, headed by Con Frank
lin, who overpowered the guards
Since that time nothing has been
heard of him, although a rumoI
hos Gained circulation that he died